Article Details

Anger as Kingswells used for Aberdeen bus driver training after row over routes

Furious residents of an Aberdeen community have criticised First Bus for using the suburb to train drivers – after cutting their services.

The X40 and Number 11 services were pulled from Kingswells on April 1. They have been replaced with a shuttle bus to take residents to the park and ride, and then on to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, but many residents claim they have been left stranded.

Now they say First Bus is using the suburb for driver training and described it as a “slap in the face”.

Elaine Cooper, a member of the management committee for Kingswells Community Centre, said the training of drivers in the area after the cancellation of services was “terrible” and a “slap in the face”.

The 65-year-old, who is partially sighted and finds it difficult to get to the park and ride, said: “I can just about manage, but a lot of other people can’t.”

The firm said it has been using Kingswells to train drivers for years.

A spokesman said: “While it is certainly not our intention to cause any further unrest among members of the community council, we have no current plans to change our driver training programme.”